In a rare move, Singapore accuses a minister of corruption

It was an unprecedented series of events in Singapore: a minister was accused of corruption and subsequently taken to court.

S. Iswaran, the transport minister, was formally charged on Monday with taking bribes, including a ride on a private jet and tickets to the musical 'Hamilton' and football matches in Britain. By the time he appeared in court Thursday and pleaded not guilty, he had resigned from his position.

Singapore has long touted a squeaky clean image and a lack of graft. But in recent months, several scandals have tarnished the reputation of the ruling People's Action Party – and, in fact, the country.

Allegations of impropriety involving Mr Iswaran became public in July. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong ordered him to take leave while authorities investigated Mr Iswaran's dealings involving a billionaire who helped bring Formula One motor racing to Singapore. The allegations revealed his charges include two counts of corruption and one count of obstruction of justice. He also faces 24 charges of “obtaining, as a public servant, things of value” worth more than hundreds of thousands of dollars.

“You cannot deny that this is a major blow to the PAP, the government and Singapore,” said Eugene Tan, an associate professor of law at Singapore Management University. “This is a system that has always prided itself on its high public living standards and incorruptibility. “When you have a series of allegations that a minister has compromised himself, it does raise legitimate concerns.”

In addition to Mr Iswaran's case, the PAP last year faced questions over improprieties in two ministers' real estate dealings involving state-owned bungalows, and over the Speaker of Parliament's extramarital affair with another lawmaker. Although the government found no evidence of wrongdoing or corruption in the property case, the incident raised questions about the privileged positions ministers have in Singapore at a time of rising living costs.

Singapore has been consistently praised for its lack of graft. It was the fifth least corrupt country in Transparency International's 2022 Corruption Perceptions Index, the only Asian country in the top 10.

Mr Lee, the Prime Minister, said the government had and will continue to deal with Mr Iswaran's case “rigorously in accordance with the law”.

“I am determined to uphold the integrity of the party and government, and our reputation for honesty and incorruptibility.” Mr Lee said in a statement. “Singaporeans expect no less.”

Voters can make their voices heard in the next general election, due to take place in 2025. The PAP's share of the vote has fallen in recent elections, and the PAP faces a growing challenge from an opposition that has criticized the PAP's decades-long struggle. , dominance of one party.

The party is also 10 months away from a major leadership transition, in which Prime Minister Lee is expected to step down and hand power to the so-called 4G, or “fourth generation”, of leaders including Mr Lee. Iswaran.

Lawrence Wong, who is set to become prime minister, highlighted the party's stance on corruption.

“The PAP's position on corruption is non-negotiable, this is part of our DNA,” Mr. Wong told reporters. “There can be no compromise, no relaxation, no fuss about this, regardless of the political price.”

Mr Iswaran has said he would pay back all the money he had earned as a minister and MP since his investigation in July. During that period, the government had reduced his monthly salary as a minister to $6,300, a fraction of the standard ministerial monthly salary of about $41,000. (Singapore's ministers are among the highest paid in the world, and the government has justified this in the past by saying this would prevent corruption.)

On Thursday, the government made public a letter he wrote to Mr Lee, dated Tuesday, in which he said he was resigning and would “focus on clearing my name”.

Nearly all of the charges against Mr Iswaran stem from his dealings with billionaire property magnate Ong Beng Seng, who brought Formula One racing to Singapore in 2008 and is also under investigation. Twenty-four of the charges date from November 2015 to December 2021. , when Mr Iswaran is accused of obtaining “valuable things” from Mr Ong with a total value of about $160,000, according to Singapore's corruption watchdog.

According to local media reports, these include tickets in Britain for 'The Book of Mormon', 'Hamilton' and English Premier League football matches. He is also accused of accepting tickets to the Formula 1 race in Singapore, as well as a flight to Doha, Qatar, on Mr Ong's private jet, a one-night stay at the Four Seasons in Doha and a business class ticket from Doha to Singapore, the broadcaster said.

The two corruption charges relate to Mr Iswaran receiving bribes totaling about $124,000 from Mr Ong in September and December 2022, according to Singapore's corruption watchdog. These were reportedly in return for promoting the tycoon's business interests relating to the Singapore Grand Prix, as the Formula 1 race is known there, and the Singapore Tourism Board.

If found guilty, Mr Iswaran could face jail time. But few expect him to face an extremely long prison sentence; the judge will likely rule that all sentences can be served concurrently and impose a proportionate term for the charges.